Quick Read
- Kenya’s video gaming sector saw a 10.4% suspected digital fraud rate in 2025, a 49% rise from 2024.
- Globally, account takeover attacks increased 21% year-over-year, with a 141% rise since 2021.
- 81% of Kenyan consumers reported being targeted by digital fraud between February and May 2025.
- Vishing was the most common scam in Kenya, affecting 46% of those targeted.
- TransUnion’s report highlights the need for layered, proactive controls and AI-driven defenses.
Kenya’s Gaming Sector Faces Unprecedented Digital Fraud Spike in 2025
In 2025, Kenya’s video gaming sector found itself in the crosshairs of a rapidly evolving wave of digital fraud. According to TransUnion’s H2 2025 global fraud trends report, which draws on intelligence from billions of transactions across more than 40,000 websites and apps, the country’s gaming and online betting platforms recorded a suspected fraud rate of 10.4%. That’s a staggering 49% increase over the previous year, outpacing every other sector in Kenya’s digital economy.
The findings underscore a broader, global surge in account-creation fraud. Worldwide, 8.3% of account-creation attempts are now flagged as suspicious—a stage that remains the highest-risk point in the consumer lifecycle. In Kenya, fraudsters are leveraging AI-driven impersonation, social engineering, and stolen credentials to exploit gaps in digital onboarding. The digital landscape, once a source of opportunity, has become a battleground where identity is the prize and vigilance the only effective shield.
Account Takeover Attacks Escalate Globally
TransUnion’s global intelligence network also highlights another alarming trend: account takeover (ATO) attacks. Between H1 2024 and H1 2025, these attacks rose by 21% worldwide, representing a 141% surge since 2021. Fraudsters, increasingly sophisticated, are shifting tactics to compromise existing accounts rather than merely targeting new ones. This pivot signals a need for businesses to move beyond reactive measures and adopt layered, proactive controls—such as identity intelligence and behavioral analytics—to keep fraud losses in check.
“Account-takeover incidents rose 21% year-over-year in H1 2025; businesses should move from reactive to layered, proactive controls including identity intelligence and behavioural analytics to limit fraud losses,” advised Amritha Reddy, senior director of fraud product management at TransUnion Africa, as quoted in The Kenya Times.
Sector-by-Sector Breakdown: Gaming, Logistics, Government, and More
While gaming leads in fraud exposure, other Kenyan industries are also feeling the impact. Logistics saw a suspected fraud rate of 7.8%, though this actually represents a 35% decline from the previous year. Government services, however, experienced a 7.5% suspected fraud rate—an increase of 44% year-over-year. The insurance sector, at 4.8%, saw a 39% decrease, while retail was at 3.2%, marking a dramatic 96% drop. These shifts reveal how fraudsters adapt their strategies, searching for vulnerabilities in sectors with high digital activity and consumer engagement.
Globally, the story is similar but with regional nuances. TransUnion’s consumer survey, spanning 18 countries, found that 48% of respondents reported being targeted by fraud through email, online platforms, phone calls, or text messaging between February and May 2025. In Kenya, that number soared to 81%, highlighting both the magnitude of the threat and the persistent gap in fraud awareness. Interestingly, 52% of global respondents—and 19% of Kenyans—were unaware that they had even been targeted, underscoring the subtlety of modern scams.
Consumer Vulnerability and the Rise of AI-Powered Defenses
The survey further revealed that South Africa topped the list in Africa for consumers both targeted and victimized by fraud at 13%, followed by Kenya at 10%. In Kenya, 71% of those targeted managed to avoid falling victim, while 19% claimed not to be targeted at all. Money or gift card scams are the most common fraud type across five of the six African countries surveyed, but in Kenya, ‘vishing’—voice phishing—was reported by 46% of those targeted, followed closely by money/gift card scams (45%), phishing (41%), and smishing (39%).
“Despite high exposure, Kenya is advancing in fraud prevention as financial institutions are adopting AI-powered fraud detection, biometric verification and consumer education initiatives. However, more has to be done to combat fraud attempts in video gaming, where protections should include identity, device and behavioural analytics,” Reddy noted.
What’s clear is that the fight against digital fraud is shifting. As scammers become more inventive, leveraging artificial intelligence to mimic legitimate users and craft convincing attacks, the burden falls on both institutions and consumers to stay ahead. AI-powered defenses, biometric verification, and ongoing consumer education are essential, but the landscape remains fraught with risk.
TransUnion’s Role and Global Implications
TransUnion’s data-driven approach is central to understanding and mitigating these threats. The company’s suite of fraud prevention solutions, supported by real-time intelligence and advanced analytics, enables organizations to detect suspicious activity and respond rapidly. In November 2025, TransUnion presented its findings at the J.P. Morgan Ultimate Services Investor Conference, highlighting not just its financial performance but its commitment to addressing fraud through innovation. Recent collaborations, such as the partnership with Snappt to support rental screening, point to a broader strategy of integrating identity verification across multiple industries.
Financially, TransUnion remains robust, having reported Q3 2025 revenue of $1.17 billion, beating analyst estimates and raising its outlook for the remainder of the year (MarketScreener). This strong performance underscores the company’s pivotal role in the intersection of financial services, digital security, and consumer trust.
Country and regional data from the report span Kenya, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Spain, South Africa, the UK, the US, and Zambia. Each faces unique challenges, but all share a common thread: the relentless evolution of digital fraud.
For Kenyan consumers, the message is clear: vigilance is vital. Regularly reviewing personal reports, scrutinizing account activity, and understanding the latest fraud tactics can make the difference between safety and vulnerability. For businesses, the challenge is to foster trust through robust, forward-thinking security measures—making digital Kenya not just accessible, but secure.
Assessment: TransUnion’s report paints a sobering picture of the digital fraud landscape in 2025, with Kenya’s gaming sector emerging as a hotspot. The data suggests that while technological innovation—especially AI—offers powerful tools for defense, fraudsters are equally quick to adapt. Effective protection now demands a shared commitment: businesses must invest in layered security, and consumers must stay informed and proactive. In the digital age, trust is built not by chance, but by continual vigilance and collaboration.